Whiskeyjack
1164 Burn's Sleep |appearance=Grey eyes, scarred face, grey beard |family= |affiliation=Malazan Empire Bridgeburners |occupation=Soldier, formerly Mason |rank=Sergeant, formerly Commander |titles= |warren= |soletaken= |divers= }} Whiskeyjack was Sergeant of the 9th squad of the Bridgeburners and had been a commander of the 2nd Army, one of the Old Guard, in the past.Gardens of the Moon, Dramatis Personae, UK MMPB p.xii He commanded utter loyalty from his soldiers and respect from his enemies. The Moranth for example, pledged that they would always assist 'Bird That Steals' as he 'treaded the enemy's shadow'. He displayed "an immeasurable strength of will".Memories of Ice, Chapter 3, US SFBC p.92-93 Whiskeyjack and Dujek Onearm were close friends.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 4, UK MMPB p.151 Whiskeyjack was a solidly built man with a close-trimmed greying beard, hard grey eyes, and the strong scarred hands of a mason turned veteran soldier.Memories of Ice, Chapter 13, US SFBC p.429 He wore a visored helm with a chain camail and a battered calf-length chain hauberk that was ribboned with leather stitches.Memories of Ice, Chapter 3, US SFBC p.92 His skill at swordsmanship was such that Dassem Ultor had to work hard to get past his guard when the two practice sparred.Memories of Ice, Chapter 25, US SFBC p.978 Like many Malazan soldiers, his name was bestowed by the legendary Master Sergeant, Braven Tooth.House of Chains, Chapter 5, US SFBC p.252 In Gardens of the Moon Prologue In the 1154th year of Burn's Sleep, the 12-year-old Ganoes Paran met a Commander of the Malazan Army, later identified as Whiskeyjack, whom he recognised by his regimental accoutrements as a Commander in the Third and a Bridgeburner.Gardens of the Moon, Prologue, UK MMPB p.4 Whiskeyjack was overseeing the deployment of unseasoned troops to quell riots in the Mouse Quarter of Malaz City. His encounter with Surly indicated a certain amount of antagonism between them.Gardens of the Moon, Prologue, UK MMPB p.6-8 Whiskeyjack was described as looking young for a Commander. He had a scarred face and grey eyes. He was wearing armour which included vambraced forearms and a scabbarded longsword. On his dark grey shoulder cloak was a Bridgeburner silver brooch: a bridge of stone, lit by ruby flames.Gardens of the Moon, Prologue, UK MMPB p.4/5 After putting down the riots, Whiskeyjack and his new recruits left Malaz on transports for an unspecified location.Gardens of the Moon, Prologue, UK MMPB p.8 Main Story Whiskeyjack was Sergeant of the 9th Squad of the Bridgeburners. When the tunnels which they were digging collapsed, during the final battle of the Siege of Pale, killing over 1350 Bridgeburners, eight of the fifteen members of Whiskeyjack's squad perished as well.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 2, UK MMPB p.56-59 Whiskeyjack's corporal, Kalam Mekhar, pulled some strings and discovered that some unknown persons high up in the Malazan Imperial order had marked the Bridgeburners for death.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 3, UK MMPB p.103 Whiskeyjack was present when Quick Ben transferred Hairlock's soul into a puppet.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 2, UK MMPB p.79-82 Toc the Younger remarked to Captain Paran that Whiskeyjack had a lot of followers (i.e. in the armies involved in the Genabackis Campaign) but that the Sergeant acted as if he was not aware of this. He also told Paran that there were still veterans around who remembered that Whiskeyjack had once been a company commander. Paran's reaction indicated that either he had not known this or that he was astonished that Toc knew. Whiskeyjack's previous rank had been thoroughly stripped from the Imperial annals.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 3, UK MMPB p.114 During a meeting with Tattersail, Whiskeyjack commented that he knew how it was when Gods got involved.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 4, UK MMPB p.133 ] Whiskeyjack and the remainder of his squad were due to leave for Darujhistan on a covert mission.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 4, UK MMPB p.129 He did not pass on all the information about the assignment to his squad.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 3, UK MMPB p.107 Dujek told Whiskeyjack that there was pressure to disband the Bridgeburners. He gave them permission 'to walk' should they survive the mission alive. Whiskeyjack however, who held no grudge that the command structure between himself and Dujek had been reversed, wanted to be at his friend's side should he decide to rebel against the Empire and refused the offer.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 4, UK MMPB p.151 When Whiskeyjack was questioned by Dujek as to the whereabouts of the missing Captain Paran, the Sergeant did not share his knowledge about Paran with the Commander.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 4, UK MMPB p.148-149/158 Whiskeyjack and the squad were dropped by Quorl of the Black Moranth on the north side of Lake Azur. He was told by one of the Moranth that he was well known amongst them and that for 'Bird That Steals' assistance would never be scarce. Whiskeyjack arranged for a Moranth patrol to be in the area two weeks hence. He announced to his squad that he had changed the original plan of mining the city gates as that would have got them all killed.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 8, UK MMPB p.256-259 He told them that they had two objectives and would divide into two teams, one led by Kalam and one by himself.Gardens of the Moon,Chapter 8, UK MMPB p.258 Whiskeyjack had no idea where Hedge and Fiddler acquired a wagon full of cobbles within an hour of the squads midnight landing at a Lakefront dock but it was ideally suited to their plans. Whilst Kalam and Quick Ben went off to make contact with the local Assassins' Guild, Whiskeyjack and his team proceeded to mine the city streets with explosives, enough to level large portions of the city.Gardens of the Moon,Chapter 11, UK MMPB p.360-365 The sergeant had been persuaded by Quick Ben and Kalam to keep Sorry on his own team. He was deeply troubled by the girls apparent youthfulness and her contrasting cold blooded killer behaviour.Gardens of the Moon,Chapter 11, UK MMPB p.363 The Bridgeburners then began to await their cue. In the distance, a Jaghut Tyrant was unleashed by Adjunct Lorn and Tool. During the ensuing encounters, Whiskeyjack's leg got badly broken when part of a pillar fell on top of it.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 22, UK MMPB p.653 Dujek recalled Whiskeyjack to be his second-in-command at the end of Gardens of the Moon. In Memories of Ice Whiskeyjack was now Second-in-Command of Dujek Onearm's Rebel Army at Pale and reinstated as a Commander. Upon leaving Darujhistan, Quick Ben had been assigned to his staff.Memories of Ice, Dramatis PersonaeMemories of Ice, Chapter 2, UK MMPB p.86 His leg, which had been injured at the Fête, continuously gave him pain and made riding awkward, but he continually put off having it seen to by Mallet as he was too busy with his new duties.Memories of Ice, Chapter 2, UK MMPB p.97/101Memories of Ice, Chapter 3 UK MMPB p.110 Paran took up Whiskeyjack's offer of becoming Captain of the Bridgeburners.Memories of Ice, Chapter 2, UK MMPB p.97-100 Mallet commented that Paran was as stubborn as Whiskeyjack himself and that surely, the two of them must be related, upon which Whiskeyjack told him that the average street dog's blood was purer than his own. Worried over the surviving Bridgeburners' overt antagonism towards their new captain, Whiskeyjack ordered Mallet to watch Paran's back.Memories of Ice, Chapter 2, UK MMPB p.102 Along with Onearm, Whiskeyjack met with Caladan Brood to secure an alliance in the fight against the Pannion Domin.Memories of Ice, Chapter 3 During their conference, Whiskeyjack recognised the table in Brood's command tent as one that had been made by Fiddler and Hedge in Mott Wood but declined Brood's offer of having it returned.Memories of Ice, Chapter 3, UK MMPB p.118 Korlat admired Whiskeyjack from their first meeting and the child Silverfox told the Tiste Andii that "Uncle Whiskeyjack" was someone to be trusted.Memories of Ice, Chapter 3, UK MMPB p.110/111 When Brood's second in command, Kallor, demanded that the soul-shifted Silverfox be destroyed as an abomination, Whiskeyjack took to her defence. The High King laughed in contempt, so Whiskeyjack struck him,Memories of Ice, Chapter 3, US SFBC p.106 something no one had done in centuries. The Bridgeburner even stared down Anomander Rake when the Son of Darkness' position on the issue wavered.Memories of Ice, Chapter 5, US SFBC p.166/187 After learning the child's origins, he arranged for Ganoes Paran to meet her, partly out of compassion for the man and partly in hopes of bringing Tattersail to the child's forefront.Memories of Ice, Chapter 4 Aware that Quick Ben was pursuing some investigation of his own and alarmed by the implications, he allowed the mage a loose leash to continue as long as he eventually reported back his findings.Memories of Ice, Chapter 5, US SFBC p.206-207 Korlat was drawn to Whiskeyjack's unshakeable integrity and the two eventually became lovers.Memories of Ice, Chapter 5, UK MMPB p.201Memories of Ice, Chapter 13, UK MMPB p.522-525 To Korlat's disbelief, Whiskeyjack also forged a friendship with the Son of Darkness over the course of several evenings of conversation. At their first meeting, Whiskeyjack shared the story of the founding of the Bridgeburners. In Korlat's memory, it was the only such friendship Rake had kindled since he had bonded with Caladan Brood thousands of years before. It was mentioned in passing how the two men were both were more alike than different.Memories of Ice, Chapter 8, UK MMPB p.355-362Memories of Ice, Chapter 22, US SFBC p.790 Whiskeyjack and Korlat's relationship was difficult at times as the Malazan's position meant he had to keep secrets from her, such as the truth of his renegade status. But Rake helped Korlat understand Whiskeyjack's motivations.Memories of Ice, Chapter 18, US SFBC p.617/625 ] After successfully lifting the Siege of Capustan, Whiskeyjack saw the Pannion Seer's cannibal Tenescowri hordes as victims and would hear no call for their slaughter.Memories of Ice, Chapter 18, US SFBC p.615-616 Rake attempted to take the Tenescowri leader Anaster into custody triggering a sorcerous attack by the Women of the Dead Seed who guarded him. As they were resistant to his magic, the Son of Darkness was forced to begin slaying the women with his soul-stealing sword Dragnipur. Whiskeyjack intervened out of a sense of compassion for both Rake and the women and single-handedly executed the remaining women by more conventional methods. He was ashamed that his soldiers had seen him commit an act of seeming murder, but Korlat chastised her lover for underestimating their understanding and sympathy.Memories of Ice, Chapter 19, US SFBC p.680-690 Whiskeyjack continued to be too busy to seek healing for his wounded leg, even turning down Rake's offer to have Brood repair it with High Denul.Memories of Ice, Chapter 18, US SFBC p.629 ] The alliance determined to take the war to the Pannion Seer at Coral. On the campaign trail, Dujek tried to put Empress Laseen's recent actions into context for Whiskeyjack. He explained how the Empress had inverted the command structure not as punishment, but to prepare for the eventual return of Shadowthrone and Cotillion by placing competent men like Whiskeyjack in the front lines to counter them.Memories of Ice, Chapter 21, UK MMPB p.910 The decimation of the Bridgeburners at Pale had been a tragic accident. Tayschrenn had placed them in the tunnels to keep them protected in the battle, and had not anticipated their collapse. The events at Darujhistan had been the result of a miscommunication between the Empress and her agents.Memories of Ice, Chapter 21, US SFBC p.770-772 After the success of the current campaign, the Empress planned to place Onearm's Host in Whiskeyjack's hands and send him to Seven Cities to help put down the rebellion. But Whiskeyjack decided that he would retire after this last battle whether the Empress approved or not. Korlat planned to go with him, suggesting they settle in a "log cabin in some frontier kingdom, a long way away from the Empire" or a "remote, wind-battered keep in some mountain fastness."Memories of Ice, Chapter 21, US SFBC p.773Memories of Ice, Chapter 23, US SFBC p.813-814 ] Dujek devised a plan to secretly send the bulk of the Malazan army ahead to Coral without alerting their allies. Whiskeyjack was left behind to break the news at Maurik, earning Brood and Kallor's scorn. Korlat joined Whiskeyjack's small army in their attempt to force march to Coral where Dujek was already engaged in the Battle of Black Coral. But Brood and his soldiers lingered behind.Memories of Ice, Chapter 23, US SFBC p.841-843 They were followed to Coral by Kallor who launched a traitorous attack on Korlat and Silverfox. Whiskeyjack defended the Bonecaster, but in the ensuing duel the leg wound from Darujhistan, which Mallet had offered to heal time and again, caused Whiskeyjack's leg to buckle, giving Kallor the opportunity to kill him. Korlat and Whiskeyjack's eyes met as he died. Kallor then killed the two marines who had been guarding Silverfox before making his escape by Warren.Memories of Ice, Chapter 24, UK MMPB p.1058 The army was devastated and Mallet collapsed under the weight of the responsibility he felt. Korlat lied to a disbelieving Dujek, saying Whiskeyjack's leg had broken only after the fatal blow. She and her brother Orfantal vowed to pursue Kallor and bring him to Rake's justice.Memories of Ice, Chapter 25, US SFBC p.975-977 Once the Seer was defeated, Anomander Rake offered the crippled Moon's Spawn as a worthy sarcophagus for Whiskeyjack, the two slain guards, and the fallen Bridgeburners.Memories of Ice, Chapter 25, UK MMPB p.1155 Moon's Spawn then drifted off, eastwards over the Rust Ocean where it would eventually sink beneath the waves. Paran and Quick Ben had missed the interment but were able to pay their respects with the help of Paran's abilities as Master of the Deck. They saw three black-wood sarcophagi flanked by two others, presumably Whiskeyjack and the dead guards, on the dais of the throne room of Moon's Spawn. Other sarcophagi were lining the approach, displaying signs of sorcery present. Just before leaving, Paran thanked and blessed the dead. After they had left, a mysterious new glow was evident in the chamber.Memories of Ice, Chapter 25, UK MMPB p.1162-1166 Dujek gathered the surviving Bridgeburners and allowed them to secretly retire with their full back pay as had been Whiskeyjack's wish. As far as the rest of the Empire was aware, they had died with their comrades-in-arms.Memories of Ice, Chapter 25, US SFBC p.991-992 In The Bonehunters While travelling in the Jhag Odhan, Samar Dev along with Karsa Orlong, met Boatfinder, a tribal leader, who told them a legend of his people. A man the Anibar call the Iron Prophet, warned the Ugari and Anibar tribes of a time of great slaying, and told them that in that time of great peril, wielders of birth-stones would come to defend them. On being questioned by Samar Dev, he elaborated that "King" Iskar Jarak's kingdom was of the 'unfound time' meaning the future and that he was a Mezla. He also confirmed when questioned by her, that from the past to the present there was a bridge which they could not cross and that it was burning.The Bonehunters, Chapter 12, UK HB p. 590-595 The Queen of Dreams revealed that Hood had never forgiven Whiskeyjack for stealing his little sister from Hood's temple when she was a baby and that his death had been 'encouraged' by the Lord of Death in little ways, preventing healers seeing to Whiskeyjack's bad leg for example. She also made a point of saying that Hood now regretted his decision.The Bonehunters, Chapter 14, UK HB p.684 In Toll the Hounds The Bridgeburners once slain, had ascended due to the Tanno Spiritwalker Kimloc's song combined with the Master of the Deck's blessing of the Bridgeburners' corpses interred in the ruins of Moon's Spawn. The ascended Bridgeburners were led to battle the growing chaos inside Dragnipur by Whiskeyjack, though he now went by the name Iskar Jarak.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 22, UK HB p.837 a.k.a. Bird that Steals. Toc the Younger identified that name as being of Seven Cities origin.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 24, UK HB p.876 ] In Dust of Dreams Whiskeyjack and his Bridgeburners returned as guardians and arbiters of Hood's Gate. In The Crippled God Whiskeyjack led his fellow Bridgeburners to aid the forces of the Bonehunters against the armies of the Forkrul Assail. After the battle Whiskeyjack was granted one final moment with Korlat. It was remarked that he had eternity to wait for her, and that he would. In Deadhouse Landing In Kellanved's Reach Cartharon Crust bestowed the nickname Whiskeyjack.Kellanved's Reach, Chapter 16, UK HB p.241 History Family and early years ] Whiskeyjack bristled at insinuations that he came from a noble family, saying the "average camp dog has purer blood than what's in my family line."Memories of Ice, Chapter 2, US SFBC p.85 In fact, he had been a stone-cutter apprenticed to a mason before becoming a soldier.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 4, UK MMPB p.147Memories of Ice, Chapter 23, US SFBC p.848 During his first battle, he had still had the chalk of his father's quarry on his boots. It was there amidst the dead that he found the plain longsword he carried for his entire life.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 13, US HC p.302 Whiskeyjack had a sister, Dunsparrow, who was last seen escaping from Y'Ghatan with Leoman of the Flails in The Bonehunters. In a conversation about siblings, Whiskeyjack made the observation that a scar on his forearm was caused by having been bitten by a five year old girl when he was sixteen. He described it as the first fight he ever lost. The context seemed to infer that he was referring to a sister, possibly Dunsparrow.Memories of Ice, Chapter 13, UK MMPB p.514 Under the Emperor Whiskeyjack took part in the conquest of Seven Cities, fought through the breach at Aren, and saw action in the Holy Desert Raraku, and Pan'potsun.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 3, UK MMPB p.95 At some point, Whiskeyjack's 7th Company, of either the 2nd or 3rd Army (seeTalk:Whiskeyjack), chased down a cabal of rebel mages across the Pan'potsun Waste and the Holy Desert, Raraku.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 3, UK MMPB p.114 This action led to the forging of the BridgeburnersMemories of Ice, Chapter 8, US SFBC p.300-306 and, some claimed, the end of the war itself.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 3, US HC p.96 During the Siege of Y'Ghatan, Dassem Ultor turned over the battle to the sub-commanders of the 3rd Army, Whiskeyjack amongst them.Night of Knives, Chapter 4, UK HB p.152 Kalam Mekhar remembered that Korbolo Dom had replaced Whiskeyjack after Raraku and in turn was replaced by Dujek Onearm.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 9, UK MMPB p.371/372 After Dassem's fall at Y'Ghatan, Whiskeyjack was sent to Malaz City to put down the riots in the Mouse Quarter. The Bridgeburners then went on to participate in the conquest of Genabackis where Whiskeyjack fought at Nathilog, and Blackdog Forest. Under the Empress At some point after taking the Imperial Throne, Laseen inverted the command structure. Commander Whiskeyjack was demoted and ended up as Sergeant of the ninth squad of the Bridgeburners. Although wounded by this dishonour, Whiskeyjack did not talk about it and soldiered on. Dujek later revealed to Whiskeyjack that Laseen had taken this course of action to ensure the right people would be at ground level when Shadowthrone and Cotillion made their move.Memories of Ice, Chapter 21, UK MMPB p.910 Author's comments Steven Erikson named Whiskeyjack after the Grey Jay, a bird native to Canada that is often called a whiskey jack. See his comments in a Tor Q&A session.Steven Erikson (2014) Ask Steven Erikson Your Crippled God Questions!, Tor Blogs, Macmillan, Accessed: 16-12-2014, Available: , see Steven Erikson's answer to question 50 Speculations *The Native American god Wisakedjak may also have influenced Whiskeyjack's name. *There is a debate as to whether Iskar Jarak was Whiskeyjack's original birth-name. There is no conclusive evidence for either argument. For speculations about the name 'Iskar Jarak', see the following forum thread: Does Whiskeyjack have an alter ego? *Like Whiskeyjack, the name Iskar Jarak has a bird connotation as well. A Jarak was a type of grey-hooded starling-sized bird found in Letheras.Dust of Dreams, Chapter 1 *It is speculated that Jack from Deadhouse Landing is a young Whiskeyjack.Deadhouse Landing, Chapter 10, UK HB p.193In Kellanved's Reach, this character is given the nickname '"Whiskyjack" that may be misspelled, and therefore assure that they're the same character.Kellanved's Reach, Chapter 16 Notes and references es:Whiskeyjack de:Elster it:Whiskeyjack pl:Sójeczka Category:Bridgeburners Category:Males Category:Seven Cities natives Category:High House Death Category:Old Guard members Category:Soldiers Category:Malazans Category:Humans Category:Ascendants